diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 225b48f948..15a1db2fc0 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ build_template_app:
   script:
     - git clone https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf-template.git
     - cd esp-idf-template
+    # Try to use the same branch name for esp-idf-template that we're
+    # using on esp-idf. If it doesn't exist then just stick to the default
+    # branch
+    - git checkout ${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME} || echo "Using esp-idf-template default branch..."
     - make defconfig
     - make all
 
diff --git a/make/test_build_system.sh b/make/test_build_system.sh
index 015328bbbc..cb42356f05 100755
--- a/make/test_build_system.sh
+++ b/make/test_build_system.sh
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ function run_tests()
 	print_status "Cloning template from ${ESP_IDF_TEMPLATE_GIT}..."
 	git clone ${ESP_IDF_TEMPLATE_GIT} template
 	cd template
+	git checkout ${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME} || echo "Using esp-idf-template default branch..."
 
 	print_status "Updating template config..."
 	make defconfig || exit $?